


Only You Can Calm the Thunder

by H0locene



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Lin takes care of Kya, Mild Hurt/Comfort, domestic kyalin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 16:47:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28513644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/H0locene/pseuds/H0locene
Summary: Kya's been on her feet for 36 hours trying to help as many people as she can, but she's run out of steam and needs a break. Lin's ready to step in and take care of her.(I know I've already written a fic about Lin taking care of Kya but it can't hurt to have more, right? ;P)Title from Slumber, by Lewis Watson.
Relationships: Lin Beifong/Kya II
Comments: 35
Kudos: 144





	Only You Can Calm the Thunder

**Author's Note:**

  * For [toastweasel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/toastweasel/gifts).



> Happy birthday Ty! Have some domestic Kyalin.

She’s so tired she has to rub her eyes to make sure she’s seeing right.

Because she’s walking through the waiting room towards the front doors when she sees a familiar head perk up, with a familiar half-smile on her face.

Lin opens a briefcase, setting her papers inside and snapping it shut, before standing to greet Kya.

“Hey,” she says gently, sliding Kya’s bag down her shoulder and onto her own before the older woman can protest. (She’s not going to protest. It’s heavy and she’s  _ tired. _ )

“What are you doing here?” Kya asks, stifling a yawn.

“Clean up was relatively straight forward,” Lin replies. The way she speaks is clinical; she’s trying to detach herself from the situation. “Left Saikhan in charge and thought I’d wait for you to get done.”

She tips her head towards the doors questioningly, and the pair leave the hospital.

“How long were you waiting?” Kya asks as she slides into the passenger side of the Satomobile. Her wife shrugs, turning the engine over and smoothly pulling away.

It’s early evening, now. The sun has already set, and Kya sighs inwardly. She loves her job, loves using her bending to help people when they need it most, but the day had started before the sun had even risen, and she’d not even had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of it today.

“Not long,” Lin responds. “I stopped home to make dinner first. Just need to cook the rice and warm the curry through.”

Kya smiles wanly. A home cooked meal is just what she needs after a day like today.

It’s not long before they pull up to the apartment block. Lin takes her briefcase in one hand, and slides Kya’s bag over her other shoulder, and they slowly amble to the elevator. Tonight, Kya’s too tired for conversation, and her wife is always happy to keep her company in silence. It takes two or three tries for her to get the key in the door, but she bats away Lin’s offer and twists the heavy platinum lock open. She shucks off her coat and tiredly hangs it on the hook, toes off her shoes and all but dives for the sofa, sinking into the soft velvet throw, and letting out a long sigh. She’s distantly aware of Lin bringing her feet up onto the cushion, tucking a blanket around her shoulders and chuckling softly, pressing a kiss to her hairline.

The next thing she’s aware of is Lin pressing gentle kisses to her temple and then her cheek, and the rumbling murmur of her name.

“Kya, sweetheart. Dinner is ready.”

She sighs heavily, blinking herself away and stretching the crick out of her neck. She must’ve only been asleep for twenty minutes, but these days, that’s all it takes. Lin’s warm hand comes up to cup the warm spot in sympathy, her fingers flexing and pressing into the spot. Kya hums appreciatively, but bats her wife’s hand away.

“It’s okay,” she says, “I’ll get it later.”

They eat in silence, and Kya is glad for it. She’s too tired to focus on anything her wife might be saying right now; too tired for the radio to do anything but irritate her. She tries to help clear up the meal, but Lin waves her away, sending her back to the sofa with a stern look. Kya feels a little guilty; knows that the incident had been all hands on deck, and surely Lin must be as tired as she. But her wife is showing none of the exhaustion Kya feels, and she’s grateful, because she doesn’t think she has it in her to care for Lin the way she’s caring for her right now.

She dozed lightly to the pleasant background noise of her wife cleaning up dinner, and wakes to the sound of taps shutting off. She turns to see Lin coming out of the bathroom.

“I drew you a bath,” Lin says softly, and Kya beams up at her. Kya walks into the bedroom, stripping and wrapping her towel around herself as Lin strips down to a vest and boxer briefs.

“You coming?” Kya asks.

“If that’s okay,” Lin replies softly. After harrowing days, Lin likes to be as close as she can, and Kya never minds the intrusion. She smiles and nods her assent, turning to head to the bathroom.

The atmosphere of the room is perfect. Candles light the room and the air smells of her favourite lavender incense stick. She dips her hand into the water to test the temperature and uses her bending to heat it slightly before climbing in.

Lin joins her after a short while, sliding down the side of the tub and burying her nose in a book. She’s taken her hair down, and it dips down past her shoulders.

“Wanna talk about it?” Kya asks, threading a hand through Lin’s hair. Her wife sighs, leaning her head into Kya’s touch.

“No,” she says after a short while. “I’m taking care of you tonight. I just… wanted to be close.”

Kya understands that feeling, and she’s grateful that Lin’s here. Many families were separated in the collapse, and some will never be reunited.

“You wanna get anything off your chest?” Lin asks. Kya shakes her head, and sinks her head under the water. She feels Lin’s fingers tangle with hers and smiles, eyes closed, focusing on the feeling of water keeping her afloat and her wife keeping her anchored to reality. Flashes of her day run through her mind, and she lets herself mourn those she couldn’t save. As if sensing her pain, Lin’s hand tightens around hers, and Kya squeezes back gratefully. As she surfaces for air, Lin pulls her hand down and presses a kiss to the back of it.

They sit in silence for a while longer before Lin leaves her to shower, and when Kya walks out into the bedroom, patting her hair dry, she sees Lin sat out on the bed, next to all of her hair products. 

Kya can’t stop the tears from welling in her eyes. Lin’s look quickly morphs from softly adoring to a panicked concern.

“Oh, no, honey, what is it?” she stands and her hands are immediately at Kya’s shoulders.

“Nothing,” Kya laughs, wiping her face roughly. “I just… love you, so very much.”

Lin sighs in relief, chuckling slightly, and pulls her wife into a gentle embrace, before leading her to the stool she’s placed in front of the bed. Kya sits and Lin begins to run a comb through her hair, teasing at the knots and detangling them gently. She covers her hands in coconut oil, and works it into Kya’s hair, working from the roots right down to the ends, before beginning to braid her wife’s hair. 

Kya lets out a long, cleansing breath, relaxing under her wife’s ministrations. Lin finishes, letting the long plait fall slowly down Kya’s back, before wrapping her arms around her lover and resting her chin on her shoulder.

“Ready for bed?” she asks softly, pressing a kiss to Kya’s cheek. Kya sighs and tenses briefly, as she remembers what’s in store for her the next day.

“Yeah,” she says, a little resigned.  She stands from the stool and crawls under the covers, where she finds Lin has stashed some hot water bottles to make the bed pleasantly warm, and she smiles, watching her wife putter around the room preparing for bed.

Work tomorrow will be a tough, draining day, but Kya forces herself to stay in the moment, letting Lin’s love wash over her.

Finally, the metalbender climbs into bed, turning onto her side and pulling Kya into her arms.

“Goodnight, love,” she says softly.

“Goodnight, Lin.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please consider leaving a comment if you enjoyed :)


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